Composed for Christmas Day 1724, Bach's Cantata No. 91 "Gelobst seist du Jesu Christ" (We praise you, Jesus Christ) (BWV 91) sets one of Martin Luther's best-known hymns with expansions in the third, fourth, and fifth movements by an anonymous writer. The cantata is grandly scored for soprano, tenor, bass, and alto soloists and chorus, a trio of oboes, strings, basso continuo, and a pair of horns plus drums in the outer movements. "Gelobst seist du Jesu Christ" is in festive G major with its first and sixth movements in the tonic; its second, third, and fifth movements in E minor; its third movement in A minor; and its fourth movement on the dominant of D major. The first movement is one of the most lushly scored in any Bach cantata, with the three branches of the orchestra—brass, winds, and strings—having completely independent parts above the thoroughly developed choral fantasia. The second movement is a fusion of a secco recitative for soprano soloist and continuo interspersed with statements of the Luther chorale in measured time. The third is a woodwind-led, triple-time aria for tenor soloist, three oboes, and bassoon continuo. The fourth is a recitative for bass soloist, chromatic strings, and continuo. The fifth is a duetto aria for acrobatic soprano and alto soloist, syncopated unions violinists, and striding continuo. "Gelobst seist du Jesu Christ" concludes with a fully scored and richly harmonized statement of Luther's chorale for chorus, oboes, and strings colla parte, with independent parts for the horns and tympani.

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